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Where are the data ethicists?

28th November 2017

Every piece of research contains data whether qualitative or quantitative. How that data is derived and used varies from case to case. With increasing time pressures and a need to validate assumptions, there is growing concern that sound ethics are seen as a luxury but as a recent discussion at IDS concluded, good data ethics are essential if research is to have meaningful impact on lives.

When researchers, MEL officers, funders and NGO workers recently came together at IDS to discuss how to better engage with participatory and systemic data, the room buzzed with energy around the issue of ethics. As part of the Demonstrating Active Data project, the group discussion led to the sharing of experiences of good and bad practice in data management. We considered how we can maintain the integrity of raw data as it travels through layers of interpretation, analysis and packaging. Crucially, we also discussed whether affected communities are truly aware of how their information is being used.

Data ethics in practice

With regards to data ethics we discussed issues of protection with regard to sharing and storing data; obtaining authentic ‘informed consent’ through dialogue (not a script or a check box); and validating the data collected and surfacing its meaning with the people who provided that information. Good examples were shared and in principle, it was clear that project staff often plan on giving affected populations opportunities to validate our interpretations of the information they have offered. However in practice, there can be issues of time and funding to do this properly, leading us to question whether ethical considerations are falling by the wayside? At the heart of participatory research is the belief that the involvement of affected communities is not limited to validation, but that follow-up action and synthesis centres around their needs, not the needs of the researcher.

When time and funding are restricted, it shouldn’t have to feel like a choice between ethical development practice and delivering project outputs, yet it often is. Data ethics should shape project timelines, logistics and funding, not the other way around. Ethical data management should be embedded into everyday practice, but, despite our best intentions, what happens when it is not? How do we react when we feel in our bones that there has been a (mis)handling of data, and we’re not doing right by those who provided the data? Can we be bold enough to challenge colleagues, partners and funders in these situations?

Data ethics - a job worth doing

Our discussion was exciting as this topic clearly struck a chord with everyone at our event. There was a consensus in the room that generally we could trust ourselves and our colleagues to voice uneasiness around data management practices. But what happens when we leave our echo chambers and work with those who don’t share the same values? In those cases, who do we turn to for support within our organisations?

One colleague reflected that there are many different job descriptions in the international development sector which include data ethics as a footnote, or as a voluntary element to a role, but there is a real lack of institutionally-embedded expertise in the form of full-time data ethicists. This side-lining of ethics in turn can cause critical elements of ethical principles, such as validation workshops, to feel voluntary or unrealistic given timeframes and funding restrictions.

On top of all of this is also growing legislation put in place to safeguard. In May 2018 for example. changes to EU regulations will see the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), . This will mean that public authorities and organisations that handle large quantities of personal data will be required to appoint Data Protection Officers who will be responsible for advising colleagues on GDPR and other data protection regulations. These Data Protection Officers will be the first point of contact for individuals who are concerned about the use of their data and for supervisory authorities.

However, who do we turn to when data management complies with regulations, but doesn’t quite feel ethical or participatory? Could we also make the role of data ethicist mandatory- someone who could help us challenge bad practice? They would be able to take the time to understand a particular context, instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. A data ethicist empowered by their organisation would also be able to act as an intermediary across power dynamics within institutions, giving a voice to those who might not have the confidence or conviction of someone higher up the ladder.

In assuming that we can responsibly use technology and data with Data Protection Officers alone, we are setting ourselves up for a fall. We do not know what is around the corner. We need to tether ourselves to principles rather than regulation to try and keep up with technology as it evolves. Bearing the responsibility for data ethics shouldn’t be voluntary or a footnote to a job description. We need to raise the profile of data ethics in the development sector by pushing for full-time data ethicists who would support us as technology evolves beyond regulation.

Author

Alice Webb

Alice Webb is Digital Knowledge Coordinator within the Knowledge, Impact and Policy team at the Institute of Development Studies. Alice is responsible for uploading content to Eldis and manages Eldis's social media channels. Alice also provides research uptake and project support for knowledge exchange and open data projects. Alice's academic background is in languages and literature, and she is interested in creating compelling and accessible stories from international development research.

Grace Lyn Higdon

Grace is a Research Assistant at the Institute of Development Studies. She is currently exploring how participatory methods can inform a complex systems approach to improve global development and humanitarian practice. Her current research examines how organisational learning systems can offer more opportunities for decisions to be influenced by the people whose lives are most directly affected during multiple stages and at different levels of an intervention.

Grace is interested in how a combination of digital and analog methods can complement existing efforts to build equitable relationships which are less extractive, more collaborative and redistribute power - in its myriad of forms- back to local actors. She is an advocate for a more thoughtful, safe and ethical use of digital tools in development (ICT4D).

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